Rider Files

Team Hammer makes a pit stop during the opening round of the WERA National Endurance race at Indianapolis Raceway Park in April of 1986. The riders in the photo are Doug Toland, who is handing off the bike to David Sadowski. The team’s third rider Pat Hernon is fueling the team’s Suzuki GSXR1100-based machine. Team owner John Ulrich is holding the front of the bike and seems to be intently listening to what Toland is saying. Hammer won the six-hour race that day in spite of running out of fuel on the back of the track at one point. Toland pushed the machine back to the pits, but it couldn’t have been an easy task. Hammer went on to win that year’s WERA National Endurance Championship.

Team Hammer makes a pit stop during the opening round of the WERA National Endurance race at Indianapolis Raceway Park in April of 1986. The riders in the photo are Doug Toland, who is handing off the bike to David Sadowski. The team’s third rider Pat Hernon is fueling the team’s Suzuki GSXR1100. Team owner John Ulrich is holding the front of the bike and seems to be intently listening to what Toland is saying. (Larry Lawrence photo)

Chris Horn (No. 23) leads Steve Landrey (No. 334) and Tom Darnell (No. 297) in a WERA A Superbike race at Indianapolis Raceway Park in April of 1986. This was early in the ’86 season and the Yamaha FZ750/Suzuki GSXR750 battles were at full song. From the point standings it appears that Darnell and his FZ made his way to the front of this pack by the checkered flag. Later that summer Chris Horn and his brother John, racing as Horn Brothers, survived and won an infamous WERA National Endurance race at Grattan, held three days after repaving, causing pavement so slick that nearly every team in the race to crash. This photo is by ex-racer Greg Sickmeier.

Chris Horn (No. 23) leads Steve Landrey (No. 334) and Tom Darnell (No. 297) in a WERA A Superbike race at Indianapolis Raceway Park in April of 1986. This was early in the ’86 season and the Yamaha FZ750/Suzuki GSXR750 battles were at full song. (Greg Sickmeier photo)

(NEWS RELEASE)

Michael Willard Sweeps Weekend in Arenacross Lites Class

WILKES BARRE, Pa. (December 10, 2011) – The fourth round of the 2012 AMA Arenacross Series came to a conclusion on Saturday night inside Wilkes Barre’s Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Following a fifth-place effort on Friday, Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki presented by Maxxis’ Tyler Bowers, of Danville, Ky., bounced back to claim his series-leading fourth win of the season. In the Arenacross Lites Class, Dragon Racing Fuels/AG Motorsports KTM’s Michael Willard, of Newark, Ohio, extended his Eastern Regional Championship points lead by sweeping the weekend’s two main events.

As the gate dropped on the 25-lap Arenacross Class main event, Spinechillers/Storm Lake Honda’s Nathan Skaggs, of Chillicothe, Ohio, took the early lead, with Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki’s Josh Demuth, of North Richland Hills, Texas, and Team Faith KTM’s Kelly Smith, of Ludington, Mich., in tow. Skaggs set the tone early, but on Lap 10, the field began to shake up. Smith made his move to the front, and looked to pull away from the field, however, on Lap 16 Bowers slipped past and proceeded to lay down some of the quickest laps of the night.

Once out front, no one could keep pace with the reigning champion, who has won four of the first seven main events this season. Smith followed in second, while Friday night winner Chad Johnson, of Rhinelander, Wis., rounded out the podium aboard his Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki.

In the Arenacross Lites Class, Motostar Kawasaki’s Michael McDade, of Indiana, Pa., took the top spot early, looking to reclaim the points lead he lost Friday night. The Pennsylvania native led most of the 18-lap main event in front of his hometown crowd, but Willard made the winning pass on Lap 15 and never looked back. McDade followed closely with another runner-up effort, while Gateway Cycles Kawasaki’s Steven Mages, of Sardinia, Ohio, finished third.

In the Dash for Cash, Nathan Skaggs grabbed the win in the exciting four-lap shootout. All proceeds went to Toys for Tots.

The AMA Arenacross Series takes a break from action through the holiday season, and continues on January 7-8 from Grand Rapids, Mich. Van Andel Arena will host two nights of competition, with both evenings kicking off at 7 p.m. ET.

Arenacross Class Results (Wilkes Barre, Pa.)

1. Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki
2. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM
3. Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki
4. Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Honda
5. Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM
6. Josh Demuth, North Richland Hills, Texas, Kawasaki
7. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda
8. Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki
9. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, Kawasaki
10. Ryan Zimmer, Fuquay Varina, N.C., Honda

Arenacross Lites Class Results (Wilkes Barre, Pa.)

1. Michael Willard, Newark, Ohio, KTM

2. Michael McDade, Indiana, Pa., Kawasaki

3. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, Kawasaki

4. Dave Ginolfi, Lake Hopatlong, N.J., KTM

5. Kevin Johnson, Spring, Texas, KTM

6. Kyle White, Freeport, Ill., Honda

7. Ryan Zimmer, Fuquay Varina, N.C., Honda

8. Austin Coon, Spencer, W. Va., Honda

9. Austin Primavera, Larue, Ohio, Suzuki

10. Travis Delnicki, Woodstock, Conn., Suzuki

Arenacross Class Points (After Race 7 of 19)

1. Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Honda (2 wins) – 144
2. Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki (4 wins) – 138
3. Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki (1 win) – 129
4. Josh Demuth, North Richland Hills, Texas, Kawasaki – 127
5. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM – 117
6. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda – 86
7. Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki – 79
8. Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM – 78
9. Tyler Bright, Hamer, S.C., KTM – 56
10. Michael Willard, Newark, Ohio, KTM – 55

Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Class Points (After Race 6 of 10)

1. Michael Willard, Newark, Ohio, KTM (3 wins) – 119
2. Michael McDade, Indiana, Pa., Kawasaki (1 win) – 114
3. Dave Ginolfi, Lake Hopatlong, N.J., KTM – 100
4. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, Kawasaki – 88
5. Travis Sewell, Westfield, Ind., KTM – 69
6. Kevin Johnson, Spring, Texas, KTM – 59
7. Austin Coon, Spencer, W. Va., Honda – 48
8. Maxx Malatia, Itasca, Ill., Honda – 45
9. T.J. Phillips, New Castle, Pa., Kawasaki – 44
10. Kyle White, Freeport, Ill., Honda – 38

Live timing and scoring from each round of the AMA Arenacross Series returns for the 2012 season! To follow the intense racing action live, log onto www.Arenacross.com.

For more information on the 2012 AMA Arenacross Series, log on to www.Arenacross.com. For all media requests, please contact Brandon Short brandon@nextlevelsportsinc.com or 949-365-5750.

Never miss out on the latest news! Follow the AMA Arenacross Series on Facebook and Twitter! Log on to http://www.facebook.com/AMAarenacross and http://twitter.com/arenacross today!

About Feld Motor Sports^®
Feld Motor Sports^®, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam^®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Nuclear Cowboyz^®, and IHRA^® Nitro Jam^®. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment. For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.